Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-05-28
AMERICAN LANDLORDISM.
W~ilkesbaire Coal Miners Driven Out O
Door to Sleep OF the Hillside.


Doors to Sleep or the Hillside.
WILxEspARHE, Pa, May l9.-Since April
ii the miners employed by j.. s. Wentz II Co.
at their Hazel Brock collerios, near Hazelton,
have been on a strike, and Saturday the com
paDy began the terrible eviction Of the men
from their homes. The whole village and the
land lying around about are owned by the
company. 1t will not sell or lease a foot Of
land to any one, or allow a man to build a
house for himself. 1t compels every employe
In the mines TO rent from it at from IS TO IS
a month. The men are forced to sign leases
which places them absolutely at the CON-
sany's mercy. They expressly waive every
benefit or protection which they might have
under the laws OF the state. They agree that
the moment they cease to work for the COM
pany they must leave their homes, and can
be elected on ten days' notice; and they fur
ther they have to sign what is termed an
''amicable suit Of ejectment,'' by which. the
company can at any moment issue a writ and
evlct them.
Notices to quit were sent around to the
strikers some weeks ago. Saturday Deputy
Sheriff Brockway armed with the writs issued
IN "amicable suits of ejeGtment,n and backed
by a body OF coal and iron police in the paw of
the company, appeared in the village and be-
gan to evict. Six families, with all their
goods and chattels ere thrown on the hill
side; they We're the families Of Neal Gal.
lsgher, Daniel Nigan, Patrick Bowen, "Bar-
Ley" Gallagher, Joseph McMonigle and Pat
rick Duniayey. Everything the houses con-
tanned was thrown pell nell out of doors and
windows, the women and children driven out
and the doors locked behind them.
Not only were they thus deprived OF home
and shelter, but not soul In the village dare
shelter them or their goods. The company had
given notice that any tenant affording shell
ter to those evicted would be himself dispos-
sessed. Mrs. Munlavey was sick I'm bed when
the officers entered the house; but she had to
go, and her bed was put outside after her.
1t was with difficulty that she obtained per-
mission to,stop over night ct a neighbours, nor
were the evicted tenants able TO move their
goods, for the company had prohibited any
wagon from entering its lands for that pur-
pose, and refused to grant the use Of it's own
teams. Women and children were compelled
TO hunt for miles in search OF a place to spend
the night, and some unable to obtain shelter
were forced to sleep on the hare ground,
without roof or shelter. Their goods are
lying to-day just as they were thrown out,
the people being unable so move them.
The strike WAS the result OF fhe company's
persistent attempts to break up the local
districts Of the Knights of Labor. Every
man suspected of belonging to II was dis
charged-his place filed by an ignorant
Hungarian or Pole. Early in April three
men were discharged for this reason. The
miners took up their cause and demanded
their reinstatement. The company paid no
attention to the demand and the men struck.
THEY OFFERED TO A~RBITRATE,
but the company refused to consider anything |
but unconditional surrender. II hired a mum
Der OF additional Hungarians and took out
the coal cut by the miners before they struck,
charging the laborers' time to the strikers. |
The company has large stores IN the village,
and all employees are forced to deal with 1t
and 1t only. Not another store is allowed on
the company's ground, and not a travelling |
merchant or peddler dares set foot on its ter
ritcry.
When the news OF the eviction became
known yesterday II created intense indigna-
ton all through the lower end of the county.
The local district OF the Knights OF Labor |
took immediate action. 1t hired attorneys,
who obtained possession of the leases, and
coming to the city to day entered legal pro-
ceedings against the company In the court of
common pleas TO test the legality OF the
leases. 1t is probable, however, that further
ejectments will follow, despite the action of
the Knights.